Fourth Grade Time Travelers!

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Fourth Grade Time Travelers!
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• Lets travel back in timeback to the days before
  video games, back to the days before television,
  back to the days before electricityway back to
  the days before the United States of America even
  existed!
• Lets travel back to the days when our country
  was a vast wilderness, inhabited by thousands of
  people that we now call Native Americans.
• Lets find out just how the good ol U.S. of A.
  came to be the country we know and love today!
  Cmon!

3
Native Americans

• Native Americans were the first people to inhabit
  the land we now call America. There were
  thousands of tribes, and each tribe was
  different. But all of these tribes had something
  in common they all depended on the environment
  to provide for their basic needs of food,
  shelter, and clothing. Their ways of life were
  different, depending upon the region in which
  they lived. Lets go meet some of these native
  people.

4
Inuit

• The Inuit lived far to the north, in a region
  called the Arctic. They built igloos out of snow
  and ice, or they lived in shelters made of earth.
  They hunted animals such as walrus, seal, and
  polar bears. They used the animal skins for
  clothing, and they used all of the other parts of
  the animal for various purposes, including food
  and tools.

5
Kwakiutl

• The Kwakiutl lived along the northwest coast.
  They built plankhouses made of cedar, and they
  made their clothing out of cedar bark. Their
  staple food was salmon. They held large parties
  called potlatches in which a chief would
  demonstrate his wealth by giving elaborate gifts
  to his guests. They built totem poles to
  represent their family history.

6
Nez Perce

• The Nez Perce lived in an area known as the
  Plateau and in the Great Basin. They built
  longhouses out of wood, and they also lived in
  tepees during hunting season. They ate deer, elk,
  and other game, nuts, berries, and other plants.
  They wore clothing made of deerskin. Much later,
  the Nez Perce helped Lewis and Clark during their
  exploration of the Louisiana Purchase.

7
Hopi

• The Hopi lived in the Southwestern part of what
  is now the United States. They built multi-family
  homes out of adobe called pueblos. They wore
  clothing woven from cotton. They were farmers and
  their main crops were corn, beans, and squash,
  which they called the Three Sisters.

8
Pawnee

• The Pawnee lived in the Great Plains. They were
  nomadic, which means that they traveled from
  place to place following the buffalo, which was
  their main food source. They lived in tepees made
  from buffalo skin. They also wore clothing made
  from buffalo hides. They used every part of the
  buffalo.

9
Seminole

• The Seminole lived in the southeastern part of
  the United States, in the area we now call
  Florida. They wore lightweight clothing made from
  grasses and leaves. They ate deer, wild turkeys,
  rabbits, turtles, and alligator! They lived in
  huts called chickees that were made of grass
  and were elevated on stilts.

10
Explorers

• While the Native Americans were going about their
  daily lives in what we now call America, over in
  Europe, people were setting their sights on the
  riches of Asia! Inspired by the amazing stories
  of Marco Polo, European countries were competing
  to find a water route to the Indies! Lets learn
  a little bit about this Polo fellow, and then
  well find out more about that water route!

11
Marco Polo

• Marco Polo was an Italian who traveled with his
  father and uncle to what we now call China. While
  there, they met a great ruler name Kublai Khan,
  and they traveled throughout China making many
  new discoveries. Upon returning to Italy about 20
  years later, Marco Polo was imprisoned. While he
  was in prison, he told about his amazing
  adventures. A book about his adventures inspired
  many others to travel to the Indies and to get
  rich!

12
Christopher Columbus

• One fellow who was inspired by the story of Marco
  Polo was another Italian named Cristoforo
  Columbo, better known as Christopher Columbus.
  Columbus believed that he could sail west in
  order to find the Indies. He convinced the King
  and Queen of Spain to sponsor his voyage. Well,
  he never made it to the Indies! Instead, he
  landed in what is now known as the Bahamas, and
  the rest, as they say, is history!

13
John Cabot

• After Columbus discovered the New World, other
  European explorers decided to try to find a
  western route to the Indies. England hired John
  Cabot to find a Northwest Passage to the
  Indies. He landed off of the coast of Canada and
  claimed it for England. Sadly, on a return
  voyage, he disappeared and was never heard from
  again.

14
Vasco Nunez de Balboa

• Meanwhile, Spain decided that it wanted to claim
  lots of land in the New World. They sent many
  conquistadors to conquer the New World for
  God, gold, and glory! One such Spaniard was
  Vasco Nunez de Balboa. Balboa snuck aboard a ship
  headed for Panama, where he crossed the isthmus
  and became the first European to see the Pacific
  Ocean! (Balboa stuck his toa in the Pacific
  Oceanoa!)

15
Juan Ponce de Leon

• Another Spaniard was Juan Ponce de Leon. While he
  was governor of Puerto Rico, he heard about a
  magical spring of water called the Fountain of
  Youth. During his search for this magical
  fountain, he discovered present-day Florida,
  which he claimed for Spain. Sadly, he was killed
  by natives who apparently werent too happy about
  his visit!

16
Jacques Cartier

• Meanwhile, England and France were still looking
  for a northwest passage to Asia. France hired
  Jacques Cartier to look for this waterway.
  Although he didnt find the northwest passage
  (probably because it didnt exist!), he did sail
  down the St. Lawrence River and claimed land in
  the New World for France.

17
Henry Hudson

• Many years after John Cabots tragic voyage,
  England decided once again to search for the
  Northwest Passage. They hired an experienced
  explorer named Henry Hudson. Hudson sailed
  around Hudson Bay, looking for an opening that
  would lead to the northwest passage. His crew
  became frustrated and discouraged, and they
  finally mutinied, setting Hudson and his son
  adrift in a small rowboat. He was never seen
  again.

18
Colonization

• By the end of the Age of Exploration, several
  countries had claimed land in the new world,
  including Spain, France, the Netherlands, and
  England. Because the English knew that they were
  at risk of losing their claims if no settlers
  lived there, they started establishing colonies
  in America. Their first colony, Roanoke,
  completely disappeared! Their next attempt,
  Jamestown, almost failed, but was saved by the
  discovery that tobacco could be grown there
  successfully. Eventually, there were 13 English
  colonies.

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New England

• The New England colonies were Massachusetts,
  Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. The
  climate in New England was harsh with long, cold
  winters. It was not a good place for farming
  because of the rocky soil. The main industries
  were logging, whaling, shipbuilding, and trading.
  New England colonists had very strict religious
  beliefs and lived in towns built around a meeting
  house and a common.

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Middle Colonies

• The Middle Colonies were New York, New Jersey,
  Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The Middle Colonies
  had a mild climate and very fertile soil. They
  were known as the Bread Colonies because they
  grew much of the grain used throughout the
  colonies. The Middle Colonies were very diverse
  people from many countries and many religions
  were welcome there.

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Southern Colonies

• The Southern Colonies were Virginia, Maryland,
  North South Carolina, and Georgia. In the
  south, there were large plantations where cash
  crops such as tobacco, cotton, rice, and indigo
  were grown. Much of the work on the plantations
  was done by slaves brought over from Africa. The
  climate was hot and humid with a long growing
  season.

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Colonial People

• Indentured servants agreed to work for 7 years in
  exchange for ship passage to America.
• Slaves were captured in Africa and were forced to
  work in America.
• Artisans specialized in a certain trade, such as
  blacksmiths, tailors, silversmiths, cobblers,
  etc.
• Women were responsible for managing the household
  and raising children.

23
James Oglethorpe Georgia

• James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia as
  a refuge for people who had been in debtors
  prison in England. It was known as a buffer
  colony between Spanish-owned Florida and the rest
  of the colonies. Savannah was one of Georgias
  first settlements it later became a major port
  city.

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American Revolution!

• As the colonies grew and became more successful,
  they began to want more independence. Over a
  number of years, several events occurred that led
  to a war with Mother England! Lets travel down
  the road to revolution!

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French Indian War/Proclamation of 1763

• In 1754, war broke out in the colonies as a
  result of disputes over the Ohio River Valley.
  The British and Americans fought against the
  French, who were supported by Native American
  allies. In 1763, the British won the war, and
  they gained all of the land east of the
  Mississippi River. However, in the Proclamation
  of 1763, King George decreed that the new
  territory was forbidden to colonists and that it
  was reserved for Native Americans only. This
  decree didnt make the colonists very happy!

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New Taxes

• In addition to the Proclamation of 1763, King
  George passed several new taxes in order to pay
  his debts from the French and Indian War. The
  colonists were furious! They felt that they had
  paid for the war with their lives! They were also
  angry that they couldnt move to the new
  territory that they had won.

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Boston Massacre

• Things were heating up in the colonies! The
  colonists, who were mad about the Proclamation of
  1763 and new taxes, began protesting the presence
  of British soldiers. One night in Boston, a
  snowball fight turned into a riot. Several
  colonists were killed, including Crispus Attucks,
  a former slave. A silversmith named Paul Revere
  printed an engraving of the riot, calling it a
  massacre!

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Boston Tea Party

• Eventually, King George decided to repeal all of
  the taxes except for the one on tea. This wasnt
  enough for the colonists, who declared, No
  taxation without representation! When 3 British
  ships full of tea sailed into Boston Harbor,
  colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the
  ships and dumped the tea into the harbor! This
  event was planned by a secret group of Patriots
  known as the Sons of Liberty!

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The Intolerable Acts

• When King George heard about the Boston Tea
  Party, he was FURIOUS!!! To punish the colonists,
  he passed a series of new laws which the
  colonists referred to as the Intolerable Acts.
  These laws included
• Closing Boston Harbor until the colonists paid
  for the tea.
• Soldiers could take over colonists homes
  (Quartering Act).
• Colonists could no longer meet together in
  groups.
• British soldiers accused of a crime would go on
  trial in England.

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The Intolerable Acts

• When King George heard about the Boston Tea
  Party, he was FURIOUS!!! To punish the colonists,
  he passed a series of new laws which the
  colonists referred to as the Intolerable Acts.
  These laws included
• Closing Boston Harbor until the colonists paid
  for the tea.
• Soldiers could take over colonists homes
  (Quartering Act).
• Colonists could no longer meet together in
  groups.
• British soldiers accused of a crime would go on
  trial in England.

31
Lexington Concord

• The British knew that the colonists were storing
  up weapons in Concord, Massachusetts. They
  planned a march to Concord to seize the supplies.
  Paul Revere (with help from William Dawes and
  Samuel Prescott) made a midnight ride to warn the
  colonists that the Regulars were coming! The
  following morning, when the British and colonists
  met in Lexington, the shot heard round the
  world was fired. This was the first shot of the
  American Revolution! War had begun!

32
Battle of Bunker Hill

• Colonial leaders met in Philadelphia to decide
  what to do about the problems with Britain. They
  decided to write a letter to King George to ask
  for some changes. Before their letter was
  answered, another battle broke out at Bunker Hill
  (it really took place on Breeds Hill!). The
  colonists were low on ammunition, so their leader
  told them to Hold your fire until you see the
  whites of their eyes! The colonists drove the
  British back twice, but then ran out of
  ammunition and had to retreat.

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Declaration of Independence

• When King George refused to make any changes,
  colonial leaders decided that it was time to
  officially declare their independence from
  Britain. Thomas Jefferson was selected to draft
  this document. He stated that all men are
  created equal and that they are endowed by
  their Creator with certain unalienable rights
  life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776.
  Happy birthday, America!

34
Crossing the Delaware/Battle of Trenton

• The next few months were difficult for the
  Patriot army. They were untrained and had few
  supplies. General George Washington knew his
  troops needed a victory. He planned a secret
  attack for Christmas night, December 25, 1776.
  The Patriot army crossed the Delaware River and
  surprised the Hessian soldiers stationed at
  Trenton, New Jersey. It was a much-needed victory
  for the Patriots!

35
Battle of Saratoga

• The war continued for several years. Once again,
  the Patriot army was discouraged. The Battle of
  Saratoga was a turning point in the war. Through
  the brave efforts of General Benedict Arnold, the
  Americans were able to defeat the British. This
  victory convinced France to give their support to
  the American troops. They agreed to send over
  ships, soldiers, and supplies to help the
  Patriots in their cause. Merci beaucoup! ?

36
Winter at Valley Forge

• After the Battle of Saratoga, the Patriots
  settled in for the winter in Valley Forge,
  Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. It was a
  harsh, cold winter, and many of the soldiers died
  of starvation and disease. However, during this
  time, the Patriot army also received training
  from Baron von Steuben. They left Valley Forge as
  a stronger, more disciplined army, ready to take
  on the British!

37
Battle of Kettle Creek
The Battle of Kettle Creek took place in
Washington, GA on the morning of February 14,
1779. After a 3-hour battle between Georgia
Patriots and Loyalists, the Loyalists fled. It
was a much-needed victory for Patriots in the
South.
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Battle of Yorktown

• British commander Lord Cornwallis and the British
  troops headed to Yorktown to plan their next
  move. George Washington heard about their plans
  and came up with a pretty brilliant plan of his
  own! The Patriot army surrounded the British by
  land, while the French fleet (who arrived at the
  perfect time!) surrounded the British by sea.
  Cornwallis had no choice but to surrender! This
  marked the end of the American Revolution.

39
Treaty of Paris

• The Americans and the British met in Paris to
  sign a treaty that would serve as the official
  end of the American Revolution. The British gave
  up all of their lands east of the Mississippi,
  and they agreed to recognize America as an
  official, independent nation. However, they
  refused to pose for the official portait!

40
George Washington

• George Washington was the leader of the
  Continental Army during the American Revolution.
  He later presided over the Constitutional
  Convention, and was then elected as our first
  president. He is known as the Father of Our
  Country.

41
Thomas Jefferson

• Thomas Jefferson was selected to write the
  Declaration of Independence along with 4 other
  men. However, he really did most of the writing.
  He later became our 3rd president, and was
  responsible for the Louisiana Purchase.

42
Benedict Arnold

• Benedict Arnold was a brilliant general who
  served during the American Revolution. However,
  he became angry because he was overlooked for a
  promotion, so he started giving secret
  information to the British. He later joined the
  British Army. He is mostly remembered as a
  traitor.

43
Patrick Henry

• Patrick Henry was a colonial leader from
  Virginia. He gave a speech in which he said,
  Give me liberty, or give me death! He later
  refused to attend the Constitutional Convention
  because he thought that the new Constitution
  would give too much power to the federal
  government and not enough to the states.

44
John Adams

• John Adams was a lawyer from Boston and a member
  of the Sons of Liberty. He was one of the signers
  of the Declaration of Independence. After the
  American Revolution, he became an ambassador to
  England. He later became the first vice
  president, and then the second president.

45
Marquis de Lafayette

• The Marquis de Lafayette was a French nobleman
  who was a strong supporter of the American cause
  for liberty. He donated his own money to help the
  Patriots to buy supplies. He became good friends
  with George Washington, and helped to convince
  the French to give their support to the Americans.

46
Paul Revere

• Paul Revere was a silversmith from Boston who was
  also a member of the Sons of Liberty. He made a
  famous engraving of the Boston Massacre,
  participated in the Boston Tea Party, and made a
  midnight ride to Lexington to warn the colonists
  that the Regulars were coming.

47
Thomas Paine

• Thomas Paine was a British writer who wrote many
  essays in support of the American cause for
  liberty. One of his most famous essays was
  Common Sense, in which he said that it did not
  make sense for someone to be the leader of a
  country just because they had been born into that
  position. Thomas Paines writings were very
  inspiring to the Patriots.

48
Lord Cornwallis

• Lord Cornwallis was one of the main commanders of
  the British troops in America. He was present at
  the Battle of Yorktown, where he surrendered to
  George Washington. (Actually, he said that he was
  sick and couldnt come out to personally
  surrender. He sent his second-in-command. So,
  George Washington also sent his second-in-command
  to receive the surrender! You go, George!)

49
Samuel Adams

• Samuel Adams was one of the main leaders of the
  Sons of Liberty. He gave the signal to start the
  Boston Tea Party. He also signed the Declaration
  of Independence, as did his cousin, John Adams.

50
John Hancock

• John Hancock was one of the richest men in
  Boston. He was also the president of the
  Continental Congress. When the Declaration of
  Independence was finished, he signed it first. He
  said that he signed it in large handwriting so
  that King George could read it without his
  spectacles! John Hancock is now a synonym for
  the word signature.

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Articles of Confederation

• Now that America was a free country, they had
  some things to take care of! First, they needed
  to come up with a better government plan! They
  had been using the Articles of Confederation as
  their plan, but it was WEAK! It gave the Congress
  no power at all, which was causing major problems
  between the states! Something needed to be fixed
  or our new country was going to fall apart!

52
Constitutional Convention

• Once again, representatives from all 13 states
  (no longer colonies!) were invited to meet in
  Philadelphia. Every state sent representatives
  except for Rhode Island. This was known as the
  Constitutional Convention. The delegates soon
  realized that the Articles of Confederation
  couldnt be fixed, and that they would have to
  start from scratch. After several long, hot
  months, we had a brand new Constitution!

53
James Madison

• James Madison is known as the Father of the
  Constitution. He attended almost every meeting
  during the Constitutional Convention and took
  notes the whole time. He was then selected to
  turn his notes into a first draft of the new
  Constitution. He later became our 4th president,
  and was the president during the War of 1812. He
  was also our shortest president!

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Preamble

• The introduction to the Constitution is known as
  the Preamble. It explains the purpose of the
  Constitution. It says, We the people of the
  United States, in order to form a more perfect
  union, establish justice, insure domestic
  tranquility, provide for the common defense,
  promote the general welfare, and secure the
  blessings of liberty, to ourselves and our
  posterity, do ordain and establish this
  Constitution for the United States of America.
  Whew!

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Three Branches of Government

• The Constitution set up three branches of
  government so that no one person would have too
  much power. The Executive Branch includes the
  President and has the power to approve laws. The
  Legislative Branch includes the Congress and has
  the power to make laws. The Judicial Branch
  includes the Supreme Court and decides whether or
  not laws are constitutional. Power is controlled
  through a system of checks and balances.

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Great Compromise

• One of the hardest decisions at the
  Constitutional Convention was how each state
  should be represented in Congress. It was decided
  that there would be 2 houses of Congress. In the
  Senate, every state would have 2 representatives.
  In the House of Representatives, representation
  would be based on population. This was known as
  the Great Compromise!

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Three-Fifths Compromise

• Another disagreement occurred over how slaves
  should be represented in a states population.
  The northern states (who had fewer slaves) didnt
  want the southern states to be able to count
  their slaves as part of their population, because
  that would give them more votes in Congress. It
  was decided that every slave would count as
  three-fifths of a person. What do you think about
  that?

58
Bill of Rights

• After the Constitution was finished, there were a
  lot of people who didnt want to approve it
  because it didnt include anything about the
  peoples rights it was just a list of what the
  government could do. So, a Bill of Rights was
  added. It was a set of ten amendments (additions)
  listing specific rights of the people, such as
  the right to bear arms and the right to a fair
  trial.

59
First Amendment

• The First Amendment is all about freedom of
  expression and includes five freedoms freedom of
  speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the
  press, freedom of petition, and freedom of
  assembly. With these freedoms, however, comes
  responsibility! For example, you cant spread
  lies about someone or yell FIRE! in a crowded
  place if theres no fire! You have to make good
  choices about what you say!

60
Federalism

• The United States government is a federalist
  system, which means that the federal (national)
  government and state governments share power.
  There are some powers given to just the federal
  government (like printing money) or the state
  governments (like laws about marriage and
  divorce), but some powers are shared like the
  power to collect taxes! Boo! (Just kidding kind
  of!)

61
Growth and Expansion

• Now that we had a working government in place,
  our country was ready to grow and boy, did it
  ever grow! Did you ever wonder how we went from
  being 13 states to the 50 states that we have
  today? Well, lets hit the trail and find out
  about some of the events that helped the U.S.A.
  to grow and expand!

62
Louisiana Purchase

• By 1803 (time flies when youre having fun),
  Thomas Jefferson was president. He was offered
  one of the best land deals of all time the
  Louisiana Purchase! Napoleon, the leader of
  France, was ready to sell the French-owned
  Louisiana Territory land for next to nothing! In
  fact, the land cost about 3 cents per acre!!!
  This purchase doubled the size of our country
  overnight! What a bargain!

63
Lewis and Clark Expedition

• Thomas Jefferson selected Meriwether Lewis and
  William Clark to explore the new territory. They
  began their journey near St. Louis, Missouri, on
  May 14, 1804. During their journey, they met a
  Native American woman named Sacagawea. She became
  their guide for the rest of the journey. They
  reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1805. After
  the winter, they returned to St. Louis on Sept.
  3, 1806. They had traveled a total of 9,000 miles!

64
War of 1812
The British did not take the loss of the American
colonies very well. They did not want the new
country to be successful. In the early 1800s,
they began capturing American ships and
kidnapping American sailors. This led to another
war between America and Great Britain called the
War of 1812. During this war, the British invaded
Washington D.C. and burned the White House. The
Star-Spangled Banner was also written during
this war. The Americans won the war in 1814, and
the British never challenged us again!
65
The Alamo
During the 1820s, many Americans began moving to
Texas so that they could have more land. At that
time, Texas was owned by Mexico. The leader of
Mexico, General Santa Ana, did not want any
Americans to move to Texas. He sent soldiers into
Texas and a war began. A small group of Americans
held out against the Mexican army for almost 2
weeks at an old mission called the Alamo.
However, at the end of the attack, almost all of
the Americans had been killed, including a famous
frontiersman, Davy Crockett. Later, the Texas
army, led by Sam Houston, defeated Santa Ana,
crying Remember the Alamo! Texas became an
independent republic, and it later became one of
the United States.
66
California Gold Rush
California became part of the United States in
1848. That year, James Marshall discovered gold
in California while working at Sutters Mill.
Word of this discovery spread, and this led to a
gold rush! During the next year, about 90,000
people came to California in search of gold!
Because they arrived in 1849, they were known as
forty-niners. People who did not find gold
stayed and became farmers or ranchers or started
other businesses. By the end of 1849,
Californias population had grown to more than
100,000. California became the 31st state in
1850.
67
Oregon Trail
In the 1840s, many Americans began to move west
for more land and new opportunities. Many of
these pioneers traveled along the Oregon Trail to
Oregon Country. The Oregon Trail began in
Independence, Missouri. Most pioneers traveled in
covered wagons. They often traveled in groups
called wagon trains. The trip to Oregon was
very long and difficult. Many people died of
starvation or disease along the trail. The trip
was about 2,000 miles long and took about six
months. When pioneers reached Oregon, they often
lived in their wagons until their homes were
completed.
68
New Inventions
During the 1800s, many new inventions made
transportation and communication easier and more
effective. Canals, or man-made waterways, made it
easier to ship goods by boat. One such canal was
the Erie Canal in New York. The invention of the
steamboat also made transportation easier because
steamboats made it possible to travel upstream
for the first time. The steam locomotive led to
huge growth of the railroads, and trains became
the main form of shipping goods and traveling
long distances. The telegraph improved
communication by making it possible to send
messages over electric wires using a system of
dots and dashes called the Morse Code. These
improvements helped the U.S. to grow and expand.
69
Abolition and Slavery
As the United States continued to grow and
develop, women and African Americans became more
and more frustrated because they were not treated
equally. Women began to organize conventions to
speak out for womens suffrage, or womens right
to vote. Elizabeth Cady Stanton spoke at the
Seneca Falls Convention in New York. Sojourner
Truth, a former slave, gave her famous Aint I a
Woman? speech at a convention in Ohio. Others
spoke out in favor of abolition, or the end of
slavery. Many slaves escaped by way of the
Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes
leading to freedom. Harriet Tubman, a former
slave, traveled along the Underground Railroad
about 19 times and helped about 300 slaves to
escape. Eventually, slavery was abolished, and
African-Americans and women were given the right
to vote!
70
Proud to be an American!!

• Its been a long and sometimes a hard process,
  but the United States has grown into a strong and
  successful country! I wonder if the Jamestown
  settlers would have ever dreamed of the America
  we know today! Lets all do our best to keep our
  country strong by using our freedoms wisely and
  by being good citizens! Remember our countrys
  future depends on We the People!